the drawing-room and
introduced to Mrs Chester, who poured out tea in unusual silence,
glancing askance at the fawn-coloured visitor who sat bolt upright on
her chair, nibbling at her cake with a propriety which was as
disconcerting to the kindly hostess as it was apparently diverting to
her daughter. Rhoda had been accustomed to see Tom play a hundred sly
tricks over this sociable meal, a favourite one being to balance a large
morsel on the back of her right hand, and with an adroit little tap from
the left send it flying into the mouth stretched wide to receive it, and
it tickled her immensely to witness this sudden fit of decorum. She sat
and chuckled, and Mrs Chester sat and wondered, until Tom politely
declined a third cup of tea, and was dragged into the garden, with
entreaties to behave properly, and be a little like herself, "I thought
I was charming," she declared. "I tried to copy Evie, and look exactly
as she does when she is doing the agreeable. Didn't you notice the
smile? And I didn't stare a bit, though I was longing to all the time.
You _do_ live in marble halls, Fuzzy, and no mistake! We could get the
whole of our little crib into that one room, and we don't go in for any
ornaments or fal-lals. A comfortable bed to sleep in, and lots of
books--that's all my old dad and I trouble about."

Rhoda thought of the dismal little study at Hurst Manor, with the broken
chairs, and the gloves on the chimney-piece, and could quite imagine the
kind of home from which the owner came; but she murmured little
incredulities, as in politeness bound, as she led the way in the
direction best calculated to impress a stranger. Tom did not pay much
attention to the grounds themselves, but she raved over the horses, and
made friends with all the dogs, even old Lion, the calf-like mastiff,
who was kept chained up in the stable-yard because of his violent
antipathy to strangers. When he beheld this daring young woman walking
up to his very side, and making affectionate overtures for his favour,
he showed his teeth in an alarming scowl, but next moment he changed his
mind, and presently Tom was pinching and punching, and stroking his
ears, with the ease of an old acquaintance.

"I've never met the dog yet that I couldn't master!" she announced
proudly. "That old fellow would follow me all round the grounds as
meekly as a lamb, if he had the chance!"

"We won't try him, thank you; he might meet a messenger-boy _en rout